I have been thinking about something for a long time, and the more I think about it, the more uncomfortable it makes me. Yet, it is a truth I can no longer ignore.
I think I help others become rich and famous.
This thought did not come suddenly. It came slowly, quietly, while I was watching videos on YouTube, scrolling through reels, watching dramas, movies, pictures, and songs. At first, it felt harmless. After all, everyone does it. It is entertainment, they say. It is relaxation, they say.
But one day, I stopped and asked myself a simple question:
Who is really gaining from my watching?
The answer was not pleasant.
Every time I watch a video, someone earns money. Every time I replay a reel, someone gains popularity. Every time I binge-watch a series, someone’s brand grows stronger.
And every time I do this, I give away something precious—my time, my attention, my mental energy. Without realizing it, I am promoting others. I am helping them grow. I am helping them become rich and famous. And what am I getting in return?
A tired mind. A dull brain. And a growing inability to create. This realization hurts, but it is necessary. The Illusion of Harmless Entertainment
We often tell ourselves that watching videos is harmless. “I am just relaxing,” we say. “I deserve some rest after a long day.” And yes, rest is important. Entertainment is not a crime. But there is a thin line between rest and escape.
When I cross that line, something strange happens. I don’t feel refreshed. I feel drained. My mind does not open; it closes. Ideas do not flow; they disappear. I sit with a pen, but my hand does not move. I open a blank page, but my thoughts remain blank.
I want to write, but my mind keeps replaying scenes from videos I watched hours ago. The characters, the dialogues, the music—all of them stay. My own thoughts leave. This is when I realized that my mind is not resting. It is being overfed.
When Consumption Replaces Creation There was a time when boredom used to push me towards creativity. When there was nothing to watch, I would think. When there was silence, I would imagine. When there was emptiness, I would create.
Now, boredom has been replaced by endless content. If I feel bored, I open YouTube. If I feel lonely, I scroll reels. If I feel stressed, I watch something “light.” Slowly, unconsciously, I have trained my mind to seek ready-made emotions instead of creating my own.
Why struggle to write a paragraph when someone else has already created a perfect scene? Why think deeply when entertainment is just one click away? This is not laziness. This is conditioning.
My brain has learned that pleasure comes easily, instantly, without effort. Creativity, on the other hand, demands silence, patience, and struggle. So the brain avoids it.
The Hidden Cost of Watching Too Much
The cost of excessive watching is not visible immediately. There is no bill. No warning message. No alarm. The cost is internal. My attention span has reduced. My thinking has become shallow. My ability to sit quietly has weakened. My original ideas have slowed down. Worst of all, my mind feels crowded, yet empty. Crowded with other people’s stories. Empty of my own voice.
This is the most dangerous state for a creative person. The Painful Truth About Promotion Social media teaches us that only creators earn. But it forgets to tell us that viewers are the fuel. Without viewers:
- videos do not go viral
2. channels do not grow
3. influencers do not earn
4. stars do not shine brighter
5. Viewers are not passive. They are participants.
6. Every view is a vote.
7. Every watch minute is support.
8. Every click is endorsement.
9. When I watch endlessly, I am not neutral. I am actively helping someone else’s success story—while postponing my own.
10. This is not jealousy.
11. This is awareness.
12. Why My Mind Feels Dull After Watching
13. I often wondered why my mind feels dull after long hours of watching. The answer is simple but uncomfortable.
14. My brain is overstimulated.
Videos are designed to: grab attention quickly, create emotional highs, keep the viewer hooked, avoid silence at all costs, But creativity thrives on the opposite: slow thinking, emotional depth, silence, discomfort
When my brain is constantly fed with stimulation, it does not know how to sit quietly anymore. It becomes restless. Impatient. Dependent. And creativity dies in impatience. Awareness Is the First Victory
The moment I realized this pattern, something changed. Not my habits immediately, but my relationship with watching. Now, when I open a video, a thought appears: “Is this feeding me, or draining me?” Sometimes I still watch. I am human. But now, I watch consciously, not compulsively.
Awareness does not make you perfect. It makes you responsible. From Consumer to Creator: A Gentle Shift I have understood one important thing: I don’t need to stop watching completely. I need balance. I need intention.
So I made a simple rule for myself: If I consume, I must create. It does not have to be big.
One paragraph.
One thought.
One reflection.
Creation does not have to be perfect. It just has to be mine. This small exchange keeps my creativity alive.
A Question for You (and for Me)
Before ending this, I want to ask one honest question—not to judge, but to reflect: How much of your life are you spending building someone else’s dream? and another, even more important one:
What would happen if you invested just half of that attention in yourself?
Final Thoughts
I am still learning. I am still struggling. I still fall into the trap sometimes. But now, I fall with open eyes. Watching is easy. Creating is hard. But only one of them gives lasting satisfaction. I no longer want to be just a silent supporter of other people’s success stories. I want to write my own. Slowly. Imperfectly. Honestly.
If you feel the same dullness, the same emptiness, the same silent guilt after hours of watching—know this:
- You are not alone.
2. You are not weak.
3. You are simply ready to wake up.
4. And awareness, once awakened, never truly sleeps again.